The Cincinnati Bengals are comfortable at the running back position.

Chase Brown carrying the load with Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks backing him up was good enough to produce the fourth-best rushing attack in terms of success rate, and fifth-best in EPA/rush.

Amid all of their offseason moves, adding another tailback was not in the cards. That may not have been the original plan.

Insider reveals Bengals were interested in bolstering running back position

No club can satisfy all of its needs in a single offseason, especially following a 6-11 campaign. Cincinnati seemingly came pretty close outside of finding a linebacker to push either Barrett Carter or Demetrius Knight Jr.

Per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the Bengals were also “looking for running back help” in constructing the 90-man roster. This leads him to believe they could be interested in eventually trading for Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner.

Conner accepted a pay cut this past spring, so it’s possible he’s in their plans and that someone such as Trey Benson is more likely to get traded to alleviate the logjam at running back. But it feels like one of the Cardinals’ six RBs has to go, and a team looking for a reliable veteran back could make a move for Conner if he’s having a hard time getting carries. The Bengals and Giants jump to mind; they were looking for running back help this offseason but didn’t bring in much.

Whatever level of “help” the Bengals were looking to bring in likely wasn’t much. Brown crossed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his young career in 2025 and is vying for a contract extension. Perine is still very much trusted as the No. 2 and pass-blocking third-down back. Brooks was drafted late last year, but carried a high grade and is awaiting opportunity.

Brooks is also the only one of the three under contract beyond 2026. The desire for a long-term solution would make sense. Conner, while having two Pro Bowls to his name, would not be that guy. He played in just three games last season due to season-ending foot injury and just recently turned 31. His best days are behind him.

Alvin Kamara is another possible trade target

Graziano didn’t stop there. New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara is also a plausible trade candidate sometime this year, and Cincy was once again named as a possible destination.

It’s hard to see a team offering too much for Kamara at this point in his career. But if he lands in the right kind of backfield and the right kind of role, he could have a chance to go out with a bang. Maybe a place such as Cincinnati or Green Bay has a way to use him to help the offense.

Kamara will also be 31 this year and is coming off his worst season of his five-time Pro Bowl career. He may only have another year or two left in him. His contract expires at the end of this year.

The Bengals are as “all-in” as they’ve ever been, but they’d still be subverting expectations trading for a one-year rental in Kamara at this stage of his career.

It’s worth noting if Cincinnati’s RB interest was genuine this offseason. That could lead to a cheap training camp signing, or waiver wire addition leading up to the season. Trading for either Conner or Kamara, on the other hand, is just not something they should be interested in at this juncture.